


Crowning at the Kingsmeet

by jezalex



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: M/M, crowning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-25
Updated: 2017-05-25
Packaged: 2018-11-04 21:47:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10999638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jezalex/pseuds/jezalex
Summary: Damen's official crowning at the Kingsmeet has arrived and Laurent is missing.





	Crowning at the Kingsmeet

‘No you cannot do this, Damen, Exalted, please, be reasonable. You know I am right’.

Nikandros was flushed and trembling as his worst fear was likely to come true, his King, his best friend was on the way to create chaos and all because the unbearably arrogant Prince of Vere did not manage to be here in time for the official crowning at the Kingsmeet. It was not the first time they were having this argument. It had started a week before when Damen had first declared to Nikandros that he would delay the crowning ceremony until Laurent arrived. He had already delayed it by 3 days and tomorrow was the last possible day for holding it.  
The 2 men were arguing in the royal tent pitched on a field outside the kingsmeet. Preparations had been made to create the most beautiful camp in anyone’s memory. Sumptuous tents had been pitched in the field, creating a real glorious town around the old sanctuary.

4 areas had been defined, one for Akielos of course, nearest the sanctuary, one for Patras, one for Vask and, for the very first time in history, one for Vere. The delegations had put up gordeous tents up for their Royals, their Court, soldiers, and servants. It was impossible to choose which was the biggest, or more colorful display from Akielos, Patras or Vask.

As for Vere, well, the pitch reserved for Vere was desperately empty and that was the reason for the argument between Nikandros and Damen.

‘You just don’t understand, Nik, I can’t do this without knowing if he is alive or not, the worry is eating me alive, how can I possibly put up a show tomorrow in these conditions ? ‘  
‘He would’ asserted Nikandros, ‘You know he would. He would put on his best unreadable face on and get on with what he has to do because he would never shriek from his duty to his people. You are not weaker than he is. You once told me that nothing was more important to you than Akielos. Now it’s time to prove it. All eyes are on you, not just our royal guests but also the kyros and your people. The coronation cannot be delayed any longer, you have already delayed it by 3 days but now the calendar is telling you that it must be tomorrow. Last auspicious day on the calendar for the crowning according to the High Priest. If you do not go through with it, it will be chaos. Akielos needs a crowned King. If you don’t get crowned at the Kingsmeet the kyros will call you weak, they will suspect you to be totally under the influence of Laurent. There are enough rumors as it is, you cannot afford to start your reign under more suspicions. And of course, who knows how the King of Patras and the Empress of Vask will react, they accepted your invitation and are here to witness a crowning. They don’t journey frequently, they are honoring you by their presence. The 3 days delay has already sparked many interrogations, a cancellation would be politically disastrous. I am sick of arguing with you Damen, I really do understand how anxious you fell and I sympathize, I have come to realize that your feelings for Laurent are deep and true and I don’t wish him any ill anymore.’

It was the longest speech Nikandros had made so far. He threw everything he thought about at Damen. He hoped he had reached him at last, but because this was to do with Laurent he couldn’t be sure.  
Damen did not reply. His face was a mask of anguish, he had made efforts to hide his anxiety to everyone these last 2 weeks but with Nikandros it was different, his friend understood him and felt his pain.

The Vere delegation had been due to arrive 2 weeks previously, to settle on the field at the Kingsmeet before the crowning of Damianos, when words had arrived that a storm had happened at sea and that ships had been scattered or, worse, had foundered. No words had reached Damen since. Laurent’s ship could have been blown off course, but it could also have sunk. Since he had heard the news Damen had felt sick.

He wished he had not agreed to Laurent going back to Arles after they had won the war. Laurent had stayed with him until he had got better but he had been pressed by his council in letters to show himself in Vere. The council had done its best to explain his absence from Vere but Laurent was not King yet, his reputation had been damaged by his uncle and his own actions were much criticized. It was important that he got to Arles and establish his authority over the Court and the people. So Laurent had left Ios but had promised Damen that he would be present at his crowning. The dates marked for an auspicious crowning had been defined by the High priest at the Kingsmeet. Invitations to royalties in Vask, Patras, and Vere had been issued. Laurent was to be back 2 weeks before the first of these dates with his retinue and his Court.

Damen knew everything Nikandros had said was right. If the worst came to the worst and Laurent had disappeared, Vere would be in chaos with no heir to the throne left alive. Did he really want to risk chaos in Akielos as well by not getting crowned according to the ancient laws of the land ? He did not. Although his duty was to Akielos he would also have to be strong for Vere and keep the peace both he and Laurent had strived to achieve.  
So he sighed and nodded to Nikandros.

‘You are right old friend. Akielos needs me. I will go through the ceremony as planned but it’s going to be a very long and difficult day. Will you help me ?’  
Nikandros did not answer immediately he just put his arms around Damen and held him tight. ‘I will be by your side every minute my friend’, he said.

The pageantry started on the next morning following the ancient programme set out some hundred years previously. Damianos was to sit on his throne, set up on a dais in the great hall of the Kingsmeet. There was to be a parade up to the throne, with the courtiers from Akielos, Patras and Vask present, the kyrois would be made their allegiance to the new King and then the royal guests would come to pay their respects and bring their best wishes to their neighbor. They would then stand in the hall and watch the King being crowned by the High priest of the Kingsmeet. Later, everyone would assemble for a great banquet which would last through the night. A very long day indeed for Damen in his present state of mind.

After the parade, everyone sat down in their place in front of Damen who remained sat high up on his throne. All through the proceedings, Nikandros, Kyros of Ios, remained at the King’s side. On his other side the master of ceremony and head of protocol was also standing by.

Then the kyros were announced, each in turn by a herald. They made their allegiance and Damen acknowledge each of them with a bow and parting with a few words and a smile that did not reach his eyes. Then came royalty, all of them dressed magnificently. The Herald announced Her Majesty the Empress of Vask first. To have the Empress come was quite something for she hardly ever left her Capital city. She wore a dress of red velvet with fur on the edges and her royal crown. Damen kissed her hand and they exchanged a few polite words.

The next royal guests were the King of Patras who was accompanied by his brother Prince Torveld. They too wore beautiful court clothing and dazzling jewelry. Again, Damen had a few words with them. He saw worries in the eyes of Torveld who of course had always had himself a soft spot for Laurent. Torveld knew why Laurent was not present, he also knew that rumors circulated that in fact the Prince of Vere had not turned out deliberately in order to slight the King of Akielos.  
It was now time for Damen to receive the crown of his ancestors. He was standing tall, his face was set, expressionless. At least, he thought, I am not required to smile. The next moment should have been one of the happiest in his life but instead he felt nothing but sadness and pain. The herald was coming forward once more, this time to announce the High Priest. Or so they thought. The herald announced in a clear voice.

‘His royal highness the Crown Prince of Vere’.

Stupefaction.  
Heads turned round, murmurs were heard in the previously silent assembly. Damen was scanning the crowd. Where was he ? Was his herald mad ? Could he really hope that Laurent was here ? Then the crowd in front of him parted and he saw him.

Laurent was advancing towards him. He was dressed in riding leathers, his boots were dirty, his hair was untidy and he even had a stubble. The Prince of Vere who had the reputation of a man always exquisitely elegant was not dressed for this grand occasion, to say the least. The master of ceremony frowned disapprovingly. Damen had to force himself to stay where he was, rather than running down the steps of the dais to embrace Laurent. He somehow managed to remain where he was. Laurent approched, bowed to Damen and winked at him when he pulled himself up. Damen could not help himself, he embraced Laurent and kissed him on the mouth. The master of ceremony gave a discreet cough, Nikandros stifled a laugh and Damen and Laurent parted, reluctantly. Laurent retreated next to Torveld.

The herald advanced again and this time the High Priest was announced and appeared. The whole assembly got to its feet to watch the most important part of the ceremony. The gold crown made of laurel leaves was taken from a cushion by the High Priest and Damen kneeled in front of him to be crowned. He got up and was given a scepter and then cheering was heard in the great hall to mark the official start of Damiano's reign on the kingdom of Akielos.

...........................................

When Laurent and his retinue had set sail from Vere the weather had been glorious and the winds fair, blowing them gently towards Akielos and their destination. He had allowed for plenty of time to get to his destination, wanting his camp to be set up properly in the field near the Kingsmeet. It would be the first time Akielons had ever seen a Royal Veretian camp in their country and a Veretian prince come to pay his respects to their King. It had to be absolutely gloriously perfect because Laurent intended to make sure that Vere’s reputation for outrageously over the top opulence be displayed.

But the weather decided to play havoc with Laurent’s plan.

A sudden storm caught his ship and tossed it as if it was a simple twigg far away from their intended route. When the storm abated it quickly became apparent that the ship had been severely damaged by the storm. One mast had collapsed and an unleashed gun had made a hole in the hull. They managed to repair but it took several days and by the time they had clawed back slowly toward their intended route several more days had gone by. They were now in sight of land but still days away from their destination.

And then, of course, they were becalmed.

Laurent was fuming as he watched the coast on the horizon, the ship still and Damen’s crowning now only 4 days away. He had ordered the ship boats to tow the large vessel in order to steer it further up the coast in the hope of finding a fair wind, but he quickly realized that not much was achieved besides exhausting the rowers and that they would not make it in time for the crowning anyway. So he changed his plan.  
A small boat with a strong crew was rowed and allowed both himself and Jord to land safely. The 2 men traveled light, they only took money with them, time was short and they had to be fast. They followed the coastal road and by the end of the first day, they found a village with a relay in. They bought 2 horses and departed immediately.  
It took them 3 days of hard riding to reach the Kingsmeet. They hardly stopped at all, only when the nights were too dark to see the road did they stop and snatched a couple of hours sleep. They had to change horses at nearly every relay in because they exhausted their mounts.

By the time they reached the Kingsmeet, they were totally spent, but the ceremony was still ongoing, that much was clear and they had to manage somehow to get inside the great hall. They passed the inner courtyards without trouble but the entrance to the great hall was heavily guarded.

This time luck was on their side. The officer of the soldiers standing to guard at the entrance of the great hall recognized Laurent despite his unkempt appearance. He let them in.  
Laurent asked Jord to reach the Herald discreetly and inform him of his own arrival.

Laurent was at the back of the hall when he heard the herald announce his arrival. He had to jostle at first to get the people at the back of the hall to let him through. They watched him pass with disbelief in their eyes, this man could not possibly be the Prince of Vere.  
But then they saw their King kiss him, some felt a thrill because the aloof Prince of Vere had actually touched them to push them to let him through.

Laurent watched Damen’s crowning standing next to Torveld. It was a sight he had nearly missed and it made him forget his aching limbs and exhaustion. He cheered with the crowd, letting his joy be known, a young man who had reached his goal to see his lover at his rightful place, on the throne of Akielos. Damen was splendid and Laurent could not take his eyes off him, he knew it would be hours before he would be his, Damen belonged to his people and other guests right now, but Laurent could be patient, his moment would come and it would be bliss.

In an ordered fashion, the courtiers first, then the kyros, made their way to the banqueting hall. 2 long tables faced each other with a wide space in between for the entertainments. Another table was set up facing the entertainments space and the 2 long tables. When the guests were sat down, with the kyros at the top end nearest to to the royal table, Damianos entered and settled down. To his right sat the Empress of Vask with the High Priest next to her and Nikandros next to the Priest. To his left sat the King of Patras with Laurent, Crown Prince of Vere next to him and Prince Torveld next to Laurent. Drinks were poured and the new King was toasted by the company.  
Laurent toasted the King with everyone and also drank the excellent wine. Servants started to bring rich dishes to the tables while dancers and acrobats performed in the centre space. Laurent, who had not had a proper meal in days, should have welcomed the food but instead, he suddenly felt very weary. Now that he was here and had arrived in time, his tense body started to relax, with a little help from the wine, and his exhaustion took over. He realized that he was not going to be able to fight this, so he said to Torveld :

‘My dear friend, I’m afraid I have to take my leave now, if I don’t, I am in great danger of falling asleep on the table, probably with my face in my plate, which I am sure you’d agree is best to be avoided’.

Torveld smiled and nodded, Laurent’s fatigue was obvious on his face, he didn’t know how long Laurent had gone without sleep but he was pretty certain it was days without rather than hours.  
Laurent tried to leave as discreetly as he could possibly manage, but because he was sitting at the royal table and because his arrival had made him the talk of the crowd all eyes were on him. Damen understood, he smiled at him and Laurent smiled back and left the room.

Because he had no tent to his name Laurent made his way naturally to Damen’s tent. He had told Jord earlier to find himself a bed in one of Damen’s royal guards tent.

As he arrived at the tent entrance, the 2 soldiers on guard crossed their spears to forbid him entrance.

‘Let me in, don’t you know who I am? ‘

‘Orders are strict’ said one of them, « No one is allowed to enter the King’s tent’.

‘I am the Prince of Vere, you oafs, let me in or I’ll have the skin off your backs’ Laurent was not amused.

‘ His Highness Kyros Nikandros will have our heads off if we do let anyone in, Prince or no Prince’ replied the soldier’I rather risk a whipping than my head. You will not go in.’

Suddenly, Laurent just could not be bothered, he was so very tired, he did not feel like arguing with these men. All he wanted to do was to sleep. So he made his way to the royal guards tent next to the King’s. It was not guarded, in fact it was empty save for Jord who was sleeping deeply on one of the guards’bed. Laurent laid down on another bed next to him and in seconds he too was asleep.

The revelery went on until the early hours of the morning. Although Damen enjoyed himself, he was eager to depart and join Laurent. At last the moment he had been looking forward to arrived, and he made his way to his tent accompanied by Nikandros and a guard of honor.  
He entered his tent and went straight to his bed where he expected to find Laurent asleep.  
But the bed was empty. He called out his servant immediately :

‘Where is the Prince of Vere ?;

‘I don’t know, Exalted, but I believe he was refused entrance to your tent earlier this evening’

‘What !’ shouted Damen furiously, ‘who dared do that ?’ and he stormed out to quizz the guards.

They had heard the King’s shout and loud words and both were feeling pretty uneasy. The chance of being whipped seemed to loom threateningly on the horizon.

‘Did you refuse the entrance to my tent to the Prince of Vere ?’ they blanched at the sight of their King’s face. The guard who had spoken to Laurent gathered all his courage and answered :

‘Yes, Exalted, we followed the orders’.

‘Whose orders, I want to know, now’ snapped Damen angrily.

‘Mine, actually’ answered Nikandros, who had reached his tent but came back when he heard Damen’s angry outburst, ‘don’t blame them, Exalted, I did issue the order to let no one enter, could not risk any attempt at foul play’.

Damen eyed Nikandros suspiciously at first wondering if he had done it on purpose to annoy Laurent, but then he realized that because of Laurent’s untimely arrival, Nikandros could not have planned this kind of mischief.

‘Yes, well, you were right of course, Nikandros, and you, ‘he said to the guards, ‘obeying orders was as it should be. Do you happen to know where the Prince went after you turned him away ?’

‘Yes, Exalted, he went to the Royal guards’s tent and he has not left it since’.

Damen went across to the said tent and entered. He spotted Laurent immediately, sleeping soundly, on top of one of the beds. He was still fully dressed, he had not even taken his boots off. Damen kneeled on the floor, picked up Laurent in his arms and carried him out towards his own tent. Laurent briefly opened his eyes and closed them again. Even in his deep sleep, he had known in whose arms he was and that no place on earth could be safer.

What the guards thought when they saw their King carrying the prince tenderly in his arms, they kept to themselves, but maybe they felt a bit envious, of the King or of the Prince, who knows ? Of both probably.

Damen laid Laurent on the bed and undressed him, then he undressed himself and keeping his lover close to him in his arms, he relaxed at long last and sleep took over.

It had been a very long day which had started in anguish but ended in the best possible way.


End file.
